Punjab Health Minister vows to eradicate HIV/AIDS

LAHORE:  Dr Yasmin Rashid, Health Minister of Punjab, recently assured to accomplish the goal for getting rid of HIV/AIDS and states candid help from all stakeholders would assist Punjab to impede the transmission of new cases.  

Dr Yasmin Rashid, at the ceremony of World AIDS Day, organized by the AIDS Control Program, asserted that all 36 districts of Punjab, Pakistan, would be having HIV/AIDS centres. 

The ceremony was attended by Dr Haroon Jehangir Khan, Director General, Health Services Punjab, Dr Salman Shahid, Additional Secretary, Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education, Dr Tahir Manzoor, Health Specialist, UNICEF. Further, it was attended by representatives of UNDP & UNAIDS, Dr Faisal Masood, Program Director, Punjab AIDS Control Program (PACP), officials of the Walled City of Lahore Authority, Social Workers, NGOs, transgender, CBOs and department officials. 

The officials of UNAIDS, WHO, UNICEF, and UNDP venerated the PACP for quality services for patients with HIV/AIDS. 

In the speech, Dr Yasmeen Rashid stated that 1.85 million people had been screened for HIV/AIDS, 13,000 patients are receiving treatment for HIV/AIDS via PACP centres. 

She further spotlighted that HIV destroys the immunity of a patient. Nonetheless, symptoms can be limited via therapeutic intervention.  

The Minister of Health denoted that Punjab had become polio free and very soon, Pakistan would also become polio free nation.